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Republican leaders call process flawed

Emails show party tried to postpone vote

North Carolina Republican Party general counsel Michael McKnight (left) explains himself to former Davidson County Commissioner and Republican Party member Larry Allen on Thursday at Yarborough's Restaurant in Lexington.

Nash Dunn/The Dispatch

BY NASH DUNNThe Dispatch

Published: Friday, July 12, 2013 at 3:46 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, July 12, 2013 at 3:46 p.m.

Some of Davidson County's most prominent Republicans are renouncing controversial decisions that helped trust analyst Roger Younts claim the seat to House District 80. They want the governor, who must still sign off on the decision, to take a thorough look at what some called a "flawed" process.

Younts, 30, of the Holly Grove area, was appointed Thursday to replace Dockham by a 3-2 vote by select members of the Davidson County Republican Party Executive Committee. Dockham has served in Raleigh since the early 1990s and was recently confirmed for a position with the North Carolina Utilities Commission.

Younts, the Republican Party's treasurer, legally cast one of the three affirmative votes that helped him win the seat, an action some of his own party members and elected officials called unethical.

Party members became "outraged" when they learned Younts and two others also voted not to let eligible voter and North Carolina Republican Party Hall of Fame member Dwight Story participate in the process. Story, who is most known for hosting candidate forums at Piedmont Crossing in Thomasville, was not able to attend Thursday night's vote because he was on a trip in Wytheville, Va., but he was scheduled to vote via telephone.

Only the six members of the county's 15-member executive committee who live in House District 80 were permitted to vote, pursuant to state election law.

David Rickard, Davidson County's register of deeds and a former Republican Party chairman, said the procedure was not handled property by the NCGOP, which sent two members to Lexington to oversee the voting process.

"They came here under the pretense of making sure everyone got heard, and I'm certain that did not happen," Rickard said.

Younts, along with party members Michael Byrd and Gary Craver, voted not to allow Story to vote over the phone. Byrd and Craver also cast the other affirmative votes that helped appoint Younts.

Party members Kenny Meredith and Alan Truluck were on the other end of the votes, casting ballots to let Story vote via telephone and appoint veteran Davidson County Commissioner Sam Watford to the House position.

Davidson County Republican Party Chairman Lance Barrett said NCGOP Political Director Kim Canady told him prior to the meeting that she had polled the eligible voters, who were agreeable with the idea of letting Story vote via telephone. In addition, Barrett and Meredith said they both spoke with Younts the day before the meeting, and he said he was OK with Story voting over the phone.

On Friday, Younts said that wasn't the case, telling The Dispatch that he did speak to Barrett a day before the vote, but did not "indicate either way" whether he would be in favor of Story voting via telephone.

"I just don't understand how he can deny that he told both of us, as recently as Wednesday, that he was perfectly fine with Dwight voting by telephone," Barrett said.

Neither Byrd nor Craver could be reached for comment Friday.

The process disgruntled a majority of the dozens of Republicans in attendance at the voting process Thursday. Party members argued with NCGOP staff, some recommended a formal challenge, and nearly everyone voted for a resolution that stated the party did not condone the vote.

"It was very much a sad evening," said former Davidson County commissioner and party member Larry Allen. "I feel like we disenfranchised a voting member of the executive committee."

Story could not be reached for comment Friday.

If approved by the governor, Younts would serve the remainder of Dockham's term, which expires in 2014.

In addition to Younts and Watford, other candidates for the seat were Realtor and former House candidate Dick Johnson, educator and former House candidate Christy Jones, former Thomasville City Council candidate Carl Shatley and high school teacher Tony Taylor.

Self-vote not first in party's history

Younts had indicated all along that he intended to vote for himself, saying there were no general statutes or guidelines in the NCGOP's Plan of Organization that prevented him from doing so.

"As I was duly elected as treasurer, I have the right to participate in party business, and part of the party business (Thursday) night was to replace Jerry Dockham," Younts said Friday.

Younts noted two past occurrences he knew of when party members voted for themselves in similar situations, including Dockham himself.

In May 1990, a then-40-year-old Dockham was one of four Republican Party executive committee members who unanimously voted for him to fill the unexpired House term of former Rep. Charles Cromer. Like Younts, Dockham, who was at that time the chairman of the Republican Party, told The Dispatch prior to the vote that he intended to vote for himself because it was his right.

"Nobody across the state views this as a problem," Younts said.

Fred McClure, a Republican and chairman of the Davidson County Board of Commissioners, said there are certain things that are legal but not ethical.

"It's not for me to decide what Mr. Younts should do or shouldn't do, but to me it's not ethical in that situation to vote for yourself," McClure said. "When you're in a situation where your vote can obviously sway the whole situation, the ethical thing would be to recuse himself and let the thing play out."

Vote was almost postponed

Republican Party leaders tried to postpone the vote until later this month to ensure all voting members could be present, but the NCGOP overruled, according to emails.

Barrett sent an email to executive party members July 9, informing them that the meeting would be rescheduled to July 23.

"Due to only six people being eligible to vote, holding a vote as important as this with only five wouldn't be a fair thing to do," Barrett said in the email. "We need all six there for the vote."

However, a day later, Canady sent an email to the executive committee, saying the meeting would go on as scheduled.

She said under the NCGOP Plan of Organization, the state party is responsible for calling the meeting and had not authorized any cancellation.

"Although we had received a request to postpone the meeting due to the potential absence of one voting member, after consulting with all of the voting members of the committee, the state party has determined that the majority of the members of the committee do not desire a postponement of the meeting," Canady said in the email.

Canady also said that a motion would be allowed to let Story vote via telephone; however, it would require a majority vote to pass.

"Because a vote of the committee is required, we cannot guarantee in advance that any member of the committee who does not appear in person will be allowed to vote," Canady said in the email.

The NCGOP routinely handles administrative support in meetings where new state representatives are being selected, said Mike Rusher, the NCGOP's chief of staff. Rusher said staff are charged to follow N.C. General Statute 163-11 and the party's plan of organization.

"We are aware of the way in which the North Carolina House District 80 Republican executive committee handled its consideration of meeting rules and voting procedures, and offer assurance that the meeting was executed within the boundaries and allowances granted by state law and party rules," Rusher said in an email Friday.

Nash Dunn can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 227, or at nash.dunn@the-dispatch.com. Follow Nash on Twitter: @LexDispatchNash

<p>Some of Davidson County's most prominent Republicans are renouncing controversial decisions that helped trust analyst Roger Younts claim the seat to House District 80. They want the governor, who must still sign off on the decision, to take a thorough look at what some called a "flawed" process.</p><p>Younts, 30, of the Holly Grove area, was appointed Thursday to replace Dockham by a 3-2 vote by select members of the Davidson County Republican Party Executive Committee. Dockham has served in Raleigh since the early 1990s and was recently confirmed for a position with the North Carolina Utilities Commission.</p><p>Younts, the Republican Party's treasurer, legally cast one of the three affirmative votes that helped him win the seat, an action some of his own party members and elected officials called unethical.</p><p>Party members became "outraged" when they learned Younts and two others also voted not to let eligible voter and North Carolina Republican Party Hall of Fame member Dwight Story participate in the process. Story, who is most known for hosting candidate forums at Piedmont Crossing in Thomasville, was not able to attend Thursday night's vote because he was on a trip in Wytheville, Va., but he was scheduled to vote via telephone.</p><p>Only the six members of the county's 15-member executive committee who live in House District 80 were permitted to vote, pursuant to state election law.</p><p>David Rickard, Davidson County's register of deeds and a former Republican Party chairman, said the procedure was not handled property by the NCGOP, which sent two members to Lexington to oversee the voting process.</p><p>"They came here under the pretense of making sure everyone got heard, and I'm certain that did not happen," Rickard said. </p><p>Younts, along with party members Michael Byrd and Gary Craver, voted not to allow Story to vote over the phone. Byrd and Craver also cast the other affirmative votes that helped appoint Younts.</p><p>Party members Kenny Meredith and Alan Truluck were on the other end of the votes, casting ballots to let Story vote via telephone and appoint veteran Davidson County Commissioner Sam Watford to the House position. </p><p>Davidson County Republican Party Chairman Lance Barrett said NCGOP Political Director Kim Canady told him prior to the meeting that she had polled the eligible voters, who were agreeable with the idea of letting Story vote via telephone. In addition, Barrett and Meredith said they both spoke with Younts the day before the meeting, and he said he was OK with Story voting over the phone.</p><p>On Friday, Younts said that wasn't the case, telling The Dispatch that he did speak to Barrett a day before the vote, but did not "indicate either way" whether he would be in favor of Story voting via telephone.</p><p>"I just don't understand how he can deny that he told both of us, as recently as Wednesday, that he was perfectly fine with Dwight voting by telephone," Barrett said.</p><p>Neither Byrd nor Craver could be reached for comment Friday.</p><p>The process disgruntled a majority of the dozens of Republicans in attendance at the voting process Thursday. Party members argued with NCGOP staff, some recommended a formal challenge, and nearly everyone voted for a resolution that stated the party did not condone the vote.</p><p>"It was very much a sad evening," said former Davidson County commissioner and party member Larry Allen. "I feel like we disenfranchised a voting member of the executive committee."</p><p>Story could not be reached for comment Friday.</p><p>If approved by the governor, Younts would serve the remainder of Dockham's term, which expires in 2014.</p><p>In addition to Younts and Watford, other candidates for the seat were Realtor and former House candidate Dick Johnson, educator and former House candidate Christy Jones, former Thomasville City Council candidate Carl Shatley and high school teacher Tony Taylor.</p><p><B>Self-vote not first in party's history</B></p><p>Younts had indicated all along that he intended to vote for himself, saying there were no general statutes or guidelines in the NCGOP's Plan of Organization that prevented him from doing so.</p><p>"As I was duly elected as treasurer, I have the right to participate in party business, and part of the party business (Thursday) night was to replace Jerry Dockham," Younts said Friday. </p><p>Younts noted two past occurrences he knew of when party members voted for themselves in similar situations, including Dockham himself.</p><p>In May 1990, a then-40-year-old Dockham was one of four Republican Party executive committee members who unanimously voted for him to fill the unexpired House term of former Rep. Charles Cromer. Like Younts, Dockham, who was at that time the chairman of the Republican Party, told The Dispatch prior to the vote that he intended to vote for himself because it was his right.</p><p>"Nobody across the state views this as a problem," Younts said.</p><p>Fred McClure, a Republican and chairman of the Davidson County Board of Commissioners, said there are certain things that are legal but not ethical.</p><p>"It's not for me to decide what Mr. Younts should do or shouldn't do, but to me it's not ethical in that situation to vote for yourself," McClure said. "When you're in a situation where your vote can obviously sway the whole situation, the ethical thing would be to recuse himself and let the thing play out."</p><p><B>Vote was almost postponed</B></p><p>Republican Party leaders tried to postpone the vote until later this month to ensure all voting members could be present, but the NCGOP overruled, according to emails.</p><p>Barrett sent an email to executive party members July 9, informing them that the meeting would be rescheduled to July 23.</p><p>"Due to only six people being eligible to vote, holding a vote as important as this with only five wouldn't be a fair thing to do," Barrett said in the email. "We need all six there for the vote."</p><p>However, a day later, Canady sent an email to the executive committee, saying the meeting would go on as scheduled. </p><p>She said under the NCGOP Plan of Organization, the state party is responsible for calling the meeting and had not authorized any cancellation.</p><p>"Although we had received a request to postpone the meeting due to the potential absence of one voting member, after consulting with all of the voting members of the committee, the state party has determined that the majority of the members of the committee do not desire a postponement of the meeting," Canady said in the email.</p><p>Canady also said that a motion would be allowed to let Story vote via telephone; however, it would require a majority vote to pass.</p><p>"Because a vote of the committee is required, we cannot guarantee in advance that any member of the committee who does not appear in person will be allowed to vote," Canady said in the email.</p><p>The NCGOP routinely handles administrative support in meetings where new state representatives are being selected, said Mike Rusher, the NCGOP's chief of staff. Rusher said staff are charged to follow N.C. General Statute 163-11 and the party's plan of organization.</p><p>"We are aware of the way in which the North Carolina House District 80 Republican executive committee handled its consideration of meeting rules and voting procedures, and offer assurance that the meeting was executed within the boundaries and allowances granted by state law and party rules," Rusher said in an email Friday.</p><p>Nash Dunn can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 227, or at nash.dunn@the-dispatch.com. Follow Nash on Twitter: @LexDispatchNash</p>